The passing of Mick McMurry is a deep loss for the University of Wyoming family. The state of Wyoming and UW have been forever transformed by Mick’s generosity. Mick believed in building a better Wyoming, and the remarkable philanthropy of he and his wife, Susie, has forever changed our great university. The UW family expresses our profound gratitude.
“Just know that the lives of all Wyomingites are richer and much more pleasant for our having known him,” says former U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson, “and there are few people who leave this earthly orb that leave behind such a legacy that is so vivid and so pronounced and so plain. The generosity of Mick and Susie is all around us—every day—in all our lives. How the hell can you beat that?!”
A self-made man, Mick was known as someone with a big heart who was committed to the future of Wyoming. He was generous, kind, soft-spoken, mildmannered and humble.
His grandfather, Otto McMurry, left Greely, Colo., with his new bride seeking opportunities in the Cowboy State. Otto spent his working career at the Standard Oil Refinery. Mick’s dad, Neil, grew up in Casper, Wyo., served in World War II, and founded Rissler and McMurry, a construction company.
Mick, his brother Vic, and his sisters Carol, Susan and Gayle also grew up in Casper. After graduating from UW with a degree in business administration, Mick served in Vietnam, and then he and Vic formed McMurry Brothers Construction, which left an indelible mark in the advancement of Wyoming’s transportation network for 20 years.
McMurry then partnered with his father and John Martin to form McMurry Oil Co. In 1991, the company was founded by the purchase of three wells in the Jonah Field, and after much success the company was sold to Alberta Energy Co. (now Encana) in 2000 for approximately $613 million. McMurry then formed McMurry Energy, with holdings in the Pinedale Anticline. This company was eventually sold to Shell. McMurry then became president of Nerd Gas Co.
Integrity and hard work were always important to Mick. He believed in building a better Wyoming. “We are big fans of the University of Wyoming and the state of Wyoming,” Mick said.
“Mick touched so many lives and succeeded in so many ways—as a devoted family man, a businessman, a philanthropist,” says Gov. Matt Mead. “Whatever he was involved in, he gave his all, and that was giving a lot. His generous contributions— some big, some smaller, some publicized, some not—helped individuals, groups and communities. He often said to me, ‘I just want to build a better Wyoming,’ and those words will stay with me forever. Mick and Susie have given so much and continue to represent Wyoming at its best.”
Mick’s wife, Susie (Warburton), grew up in Hanna, Wyo., where her parents owned a restaurant, filling station, bar and motel. After receiving her degree from UW in elementary education, she taught school for a few years until she and Mick married in 1973. They have two daughters, Trudi and Jillian, as well as many foster children. Susie is a hospice volunteer and a court-appointed special advocate for foster children.
“Mick and Susie are Wyoming,” says Dave Bostrom, member and former president of the UW Board of Trustees. “They have and continue to care and share. Mick is missed, and his legacy will live forever.”
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